Tag Archives: Duluth DUI lawyer

5 Questions to Ask When Hiring a DUI Lawyer

Sunday, 08 June 2014 11:31

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It’s an understatement to say that being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) can be an overwhelming experience. Even in the first moments, you begin to consider what the next step should be. According to Georgia DUI attorney Mickey Roberts, the logical next step is to find a great lawyer who can address your case effectively and professionally. Below, he provides five key points that should be brought up when selecting your DUI attorney.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Thoroughly learn the lawyer’s background and experience. Inquire about where they attended law school and their time of graduation, as well any membership in bar organizations and length of practice.

Get a feel for their client base. How long has the lawyer been representing clients facing DUI? Is it their specialty, or just something done on the side? How many clients are represented each year?

Their success is your business. Ask about their success rate within the court, and welcome feedback on your case so they can understand the charges and if they believe they can take you on as a client. If you’re satisfied with the amount of cases won, it’s a good indicator that this is a trustworthy lawyer for you.

Assess your case. Lay out the details of your arrest and the charges you’re currently facing. Ask the lawyer what they would recommend in terms of a guilty plea or trial. Request for them to lay out the factors in your case that work in your favor or against you to determine how the DUI lawyer will aggressively defend you in court.

Consider the cost. Yes, DUI arrests can be expensive. But think about the possible outcomes: you could lose your driver’s license, experience an increase in insurance premiums, DUI school, fines, and possible jail time. And of course it costs money to hire a lawyer.

After meeting with your potential attorney, evaluate. Consider what you heard about their experience, success rates, and applicable fees. Do your research. If you believe the attorney will fight hard for your case and value your triumph over your charges, hire them! To contact a reputable DUI in Georgia, call Mickey Roberts. Be sure to follow Mickey Roberts on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for traffic law updates and news.

March’s Case of the Month: How an Underage DUI Became a Simple MIP

Monday, 24 March 2014 19:04

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This month’s case shows the value of having an experienced DUI attorney who has a reputation for aggressively defending cases. In an Athens-Clarke County case, my UGA student client was in a Pre Trial Diversion for a previous Minor in Possession (MIP) of Alcohol charge when he was arrested by Athens police and charged with DUI.

So now, he had a DUI charge and the old MIP charge pending in Athens. Unsurprisingly, the police report had my client as being intoxicated, but after reviewing the video, I thought otherwise of the evidence.

The cop had stopped my client for a broken taillight, yet the cop was approaching my client, and it would have been extremely difficult for the cop to actually see a broken taillight. The video revealed my client’s physical appearance to be normal. My client denied drinking and refused a breath test after arrest. Any clues on the Field Sobriety Evaluations were minimal.

Nonetheless, because the client was under 21 at the time of the arrest, any evidence of him having consumed alcohol could have resulted in a guilty verdict. We employed the use of an expert in Field Evaluations who agreed with me that the evidence was slim and was known and respected by the prosecutor. Eventually, we negotiated a plea to 2 MIPs, allowing my client to continue driving and to not have a DUI conviction on his record.

One more thing: We structured the plea so that the MIP pleas would not result in a suspension of client’s license. (He could have had a 1 year suspension!) It is important that a traffic lawyer knows how to structure pleas for the best possible outcome, and this means the lawyer must have a thorough knowledge of Georgia Traffic Laws.

If any of the classifications above pertain to your case, you’ll want to talk to Georgia DUI attorney Mickey Roberts about the new Georgia “Restriction” Law. The law was formerly known as expungment, a process whereby a person’s criminal arrest is deleted. In most States expungment is not available for a DUI arrest; however, involving an experienced attorney can make all of the difference in finding success from your case.
The new Georgia “Restriction” Law enables you to, under certain circumstances, go back and have your arrest restricted from public access or corrected if it is showing an incorrect disposition. You may also be able to get court and jail records sealed.
Recently, I have been able to get a 2002 DUI arrest record restricted from public access, diminishing the possibility of the past creeping into your present and getting in the way of your opportunities. Additionally, I had a record corrected, enabling my client to either obtain the record or have it restricted, allowing them to at least be able to show employers that the underlying DUI in the case was dismissed.
Don’t let your DUI obstruct your career path. Contact Mr. GA DUI today. Also be sure to follow me, Mickey Roberts on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more traffic law updates and news.

DUI Defined: What is a DUI in Georgia?

Monday, 03 March 2014 05:00

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There are many types of DUIs (driving under the influence) in Georgia, but the most common type is that a person is “driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

What does it mean, legally, to be “under the influence?” Firstly, it means that you are less safe to drive than if you had not consumed alcohol or drugs. But, hey, that depends on the person’s tolerance, right? So, according to the Pattern Jury Charges that judges in Georgia read to jurors before deliberating, this is what “less safe” means:

A person is less safe to drive when that person is less efficient, less skillful, less coherent, less able, and less proficient to drive a car.

Take notice: there is nothing that describes “less safe” as having your eyes jerk (examined by the Hortizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test) or performing gymnastic floor exercises recognized as field sobriety tests. There is no indication about bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, or the smell of alcohol. The definition also does not mention anything about alcohol or drug blood levels. The definition has to do with whether a person’s fine motor skills have been affected so much that they cannot effectively drive a car.

So, the next time you are on a jury and are asked to decide if someone was the DUI-version of “less safe”, remember the context of driving ability. Is there evidence that the person was able, efficient, skilful or proficient while driving the car? Or is there simply collateral evidence that may or may not have anything to do with actual driving skill?

Designed to Fail? MR GA DUI Advises Against Submitting to Field Sobriety Tests

Wednesday, 30 November 2011 16:14

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If you own a MR GA DUI koozie or read his blog, you’ve probably heard that he suggests not submitting to field sobriety tests when stopped by the police for driving under the influence. While experienced DUI attorney Mickey Roberts has been advising clients and Georgia drivers not to submit to field sobriety tests for years, an investigative reporter for Atlanta’s Channel 2 Action News, Richard Belcher, further solidified Robert’s advice in a recent news story.
Belcher spoke with police officers, as well as Dr. Spurgeon Cole, a retired psychology professor from Clemson University, who has been studying field sobriety tests since the 1980s shortly after the tests were first instituted. Cole told the Channel 2 reporter that when these tests were designed, police incorrectly identified 47% of the drivers as intoxicated during trials. However,

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Disclaimer

The above information is intended to help educate members of the Georgia motoring public as to their rights under the law and to assist presumptively innocent citizens in properly asserting those rights. Information within this site should not be misconstrued as legal advice.